


Red Sword

by HiddenEye



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Best Friends, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Post-Season/Series 02, Pre-Kerberos Mission, Suggestive Themes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-01
Updated: 2017-06-01
Packaged: 2018-11-07 18:26:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11064639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiddenEye/pseuds/HiddenEye
Summary: “Stay still,” the hiss was loud enough as Shiro readjusted the Burger King crown on his head. In some miracle, Ryou did as he was told and went completely slack. Of course, not without a few more grumbles here and there as Keith raised his cardboard sword above his head.“I’ve come to save you.” He said simply, but his eyes shone bright while a smile pulled up at the corner of his lips.Shiro crossed his arms, raising both of his eyebrows. “Took you long enough.”





	Red Sword

**Author's Note:**

> I'd like to dedicate this fic to pride month, with some sweet childhood friends au that's not enough in this fandom, and that keith is shiro's saviour :')
> 
> Not beta'd and enjoy!

Three things could go wrong here.

One: while Shiro had faith in his own ability to tie a perfect knot after being a scout for the past couple of years, he wasn't sure if that belief would last long while the tower of chairs he and Keith made creaked every time he shifted in his seat. Panicking was the last thing he wanted to feel, so Shiro tried to project some relief that they let his throne lean against the backyard tree, where there would be _some_ reassurance in making sure he wouldn't fall to his death.

Maybe he was exaggerating, but he was clutching on the armrests for dear life while the ground was three feet away from where he was, and the wooden chair was getting uncomfortable after a while. Frankly, he thought being nine years old was too young to die, and he’d at least wait until he’d get his driving licence.

Not that he wanted to die at sixteen, but the goal was there.

Second: his mother's shawl was clutched so tightly in his hands he was afraid that it would rip under his own strength. Granted, he asked first before he took the old thing, but his grandmother had given it to her when she first came to the US during her student years; he was going to make sure he would give it back the way he took it.

And third: he was afraid that Keith had forgotten about him being apprehended in his own tower while he fought the tiny dragon -Ryou insisted on being the fearsome reptile when Shiro wanted to, and his little brother stomped inside their house to grab the Godzilla mask from his room to prove his point.

And here he was, Takashi Shirogane, the prince in distress while he waited for his knight in shining armour to come rescue him.

Even though it could be dull sitting up there most of the time without doing anything, Shiro had a nice view of the neighbourhood, and he could see other people's lawns stretched out in front of him with all its green glory.

“Ryou, get off!”

Peering down, Shiro supported his cheek with a fist as he watched Ryou sitting on Keith's chest, where his brother let out a yell of victory with the too big Godzilla mask tilted to the skies while both of his fists were raised above his head.

“The knight has been defeated!” Came the muffled voice as Ryou stared Keith down, who had suspiciously became slack on the ground while he met the younger boy’s gaze with narrowed eyes. “Now, you'll never save the prince!”

“Oh _no_ ,” Shiro slouched in his seat, putting the back of his hand on his forehead; he tried to ignore the way the chairs squeaked under him, holding on tightly with his other hand. “Who's going to save me now? Not when the evil dragon defeated the brave knight!”

“Wrong!”

Quickly, Keith shot up and wrapped his arms around Ryou, who squealed at the sudden movement as Keith stood to his feet, hefting the boy over his shoulder like a bag of rice that Shiro snorted out a laugh at Ryou’s shouts of outrage.

Shiro straightened up just as Keith walked nearer towards him, not minding the squabbling dragon near his ear as he dropped heavily to one knee, almost teetering to the side that Keith’s hand shot out to grip onto the long grass with a grunt.

“Stay still,” the hiss was loud enough as Shiro readjusted the Burger King crown on his head. In some miracle, Ryou did as he was told and went completely slack. Of course, not without a few more grumbles here and there as Keith raised his cardboard sword above his head.

“I’ve come to save you.” He said simply, but his eyes shone bright while a smile pulled up at the corner of his lips.

Shiro crossed his arms, raising both of his eyebrows. “Took you long enough.”

“I had some problems along the way,” Keith replied with a shrug of his free shoulder, and Ryou grumbled loudly when he patted the boy's bottom. “A lizard wanted to eat me alive, so stopping him was the only solution I had if I wanted to get to you.”

“I'm a _dragon_ ,” Ryou protested sullenly. “Not a _lizard._ ”

Shiro grinned, dropping his arms to the side. “Is he an ugly lizard?”

“The ugliest,” Keith nodded solemnly, and it was obvious the additional weight was beginning to bother him when he winced. “His name is Ryou-zilla and he's dead now. So, you're free.”

“ _Hey._ ”

“What do I get now that he's dead?” Shiro challenged, leaning forward slightly with a firm grip on the arm rests.

“We can get his treasure and run before he comes back alive.”

Shiro hummed thoughtfully, falling back. “Halloween candy?”

Keith smirked. “Halloween candy.”

“No!” Ryou shouted as he thrashed in Keith's hold. “You can't take my candy! That's _mine!_ ”

Grunting, Keith tried to make sure Ryou didn't fell on his own head by tightening his grip onto his legs. In the end, the mighty Ryou-zilla escaped and made a sprint towards the back door, footsteps pattering against the marble floor as the door slammed closed behind him.

Shiro shook his head when his mother's exclamation could be heard, and the familiar ‘what did I say about slamming the door’ came drifting out to where he sat. He glanced down, and saw Keith dusting the dust and grass off his pants. “I'm coming down.”

“Do you need a hand?” Keith asked, his brows furrowing in worry as Shiro began lowering himself on the ladder they left against the stacked chairs.

“Um,” Shiro froze when the ladder shuddered, clutching onto the sides to let the motion pass. He shot Keith a sheepish look over his shoulder. “Can you hold onto the ladder for me? And catch this too.”

He untangled the shawl from his shoulders. “Make sure it doesn't get dirty,” Shiro warned him, and tossed the cloth towards Keith's waiting hands as they watched the way it fluttered down. Once he caught it, Keith tied the shawl around his own shoulders to have free hands, and Shiro noted in amusement at how it looked like a large and flowery cape while the younger boy held onto the bottom part of the ladder.

Keith lifted his head to give him a nod.

Shiro took a small breath as he began his descend down, carefully putting one foot after another to prevent any accidents. He jumped off the moment there was a few steps left, and managed to land neatly on his feet beside Keith. “Well,” he began, taking the paper crown off his head. “That was fun.”

“Yeah,” Keith untied the shawl from his shoulder to give it back to Shiro, making a switch for the crown. “You had to play the prince in distress, though.”

“I don't mind,” Shiro admitted, carefully folding the shawl until it was enough for him to drape it over his arm. “I can't always be the knight, or the dragon.”

“Why not?” Keith turned the crown around to readjust it to his size, before wearing it on his own head. It fitted just right, and Shiro reached out to make sure it wasn't too angled to the side. “You always have that part when we play.”

Shrugging, they started their way towards the house. “Maybe everyone needs a turn in being different roles, or it wouldn't be fun being the same thing over and over again. Besides,” Shiro nudged Keith in the arm, who shot him a questioning look at his grin. “You were pretty cool as the knight.”

“Not as cool as you,” Keith told him easily, pushing the kitchen door open. “You were a knight in that play when you were six.”

“Because the real knight cried before we had to go up stage,” Shiro pointed out, tossing the shawl on the back of a chair as they made their way towards the sink. He reached over and twisted the knob, letting the jet of water hit the metallic surface. “I was the wizard then, but we had two wizards so it was okay if I became the knight instead.”

“How'd you remember his script?” Keith let the water splash into his palms, washing away the dirt while Shiro began scrubbing his with soap. “The prince was the main character, so he had a lot of lines.”

“We were always practising together, so I kinda memorised it a bit?” Shiro rinsed the soap before making a grab for the cloth hooked on the wall. “The play started late because all of that happening, but in the end it was okay, I guess.”

“Because you're the one in it.” Keith told him, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. He took the offered towel to wipe his own hands. “So, it's not surprising.”

“Nah, it's because we all worked together.”

Keith rolled his eyes as he hoisted himself on the chair while Shiro went to grab a bowl of sliced apples from the fridge. “Whatever.”

 

* * *

 

Of all times to be chased by an angry dog, this wasn't it.

“Run!”

Shiro sailed over the dumpster while Keith scaled up the stacked boxes in their way, the damp stench of the alley filled in their nostrils while the evening sun shot into their eyes from the end of their escape, momentarily blinding him that Shiro had to squint through the glare to make sure he wouldn't suddenly trip on anything.

Glancing back, the pitbull was still hot on their heels, lips pulled back into a snarl that revealed pink guns while the manic look in its eye remained the way it was. Both teenagers busted out of the alley before turning a sharp left, careful not to bump into anyone as they followed the pavement down.

“It's still chasing us,” Keith huffed out from beside him. “We gotta change to another route so that we can shake him off.”

“We could go in one of the shops,” Shiro suggested through laboured breath, hefting his school backpack on his shoulder. Then, he let out an unhappy grunt. “Just when I thought I could take a break before studying.”

“No time, let's go.” Without any warning, Keith grabbed onto his wrist and tugged him into the nearest store. Frantically, they pulled the door open before slamming it close again, bracing against it when the pitbull came crashing towards the transparent door with a snarl, strings of drool hanging onto its gums and splattering all over the glass.

“Whoa, what's going on here?” The shop owner demanded, and Shiro lifted his head to where the man walked brusquely towards them with a scowl on his face. “Hey, what are you kids do-”

“A dog is trying to kill us,” Keith grounded out, and the shop owner stilled momentarily at the sight of the pitbull trying to bite them through the glass door, jaws snapping impatiently. “Can you lock this? Because if we let go, that _thing_ is gonna make a mess of your shop by chasing us around.”

Shaking out of his reverie, the shop owner quickly stepped forward while digging into his jeans pockets, slotting the key into place before twisting it to the side, where the audible click of it sliding into a lock could be heard.

Heaving out a sigh, Shiro pushed himself off the door to gather his breath, wiping the sweat from his forehead as he turned to face the shop owner with an apologetic smile. “Thanks. And sorry about this, it couldn't leave us alone.”

“What did you even do?” The shop owner asked in disbelief, still staring at the barking dog as he took a step back.

“Nothing,” Keith grumbled, smoothing down his ruffled hair. “We came back from school when it suddenly chased us as if we were meat. We couldn't even get into our own houses because of it.”

“Maybe you two subconsciously annoyed it without realising it, who knows?” The shop owner shrugged, running his hand through his teal coloured hair. “And get away from there, I don't want it breaking the door down because it's excited to see you two.”

Shiro nodded, and took a couple of steps deeper into the shop before he froze.

He hadn't look at what type of shop Keith pulled them into, because it was barely visible from the outside since it was snugged between a cafe and a clothes shop, with its vintage like maroon door and cream walls giving out an aura of sophistication.

On the inside, it was bigger than he imagined, with numerous shelves pushed to the walls and sections specifically for DVD’s standing in the middle of the clearing.

Except, there was posters of nude people plastered all over the same walls, and a sign that said ‘LIMITED EDITION. LARGE PURPLE COCK.’ in bold black pen was propped beside said object on one of the shelves while a kiss practicer stood on its other side.

And he was pretty sure the collars and harnesses that hung on their respective hooks near the lubes weren't for dogs.

Shiro shot a wide look at Keith, who flushed red as he dragged his eyes around the shop as both of them remained rooted to where they were.

“Kyle, by the way,” the shop owner continued as if he hadn't stopped, making himself comfortable on one of the chairs behind the counter, leaning back while he reached for the half finished Rubik's cube he had been solving before they arrived. “And I gotta be honest with you, but today had been the most eventful day since Valentine's Day and that was like, what, four months ago? Business is slow now except for that particular week in April,” he frowned at the puzzle in his hand. “That was weird. I'm guessing that it had to do with Spring and how everyone’s finally got to do their stuff without freezing their asses off.”

Then, he stilled. “Wait,” he snapped his head up to squint at both of them, studying them carefully through his round glasses. “How old are you?”

Shiro cleared his throat slightly. “Sixteen.” He gestured towards Keith. “Fourteen.”

“Christ,” Kyle muttered, letting his eyes flicker around the shop as if only realising the type of place he was working in. He looked at them again with a grimace. “You shouldn't be here.”

“Yeah, we figured,” Keith drawled, eyeing the DVD’s briefly. “But something is trying to kill us out there, I don't know how we're getting out like that.”

“There's a back door, if you want,” Kyle suggested with a jab of his thumb towards the drawn curtain beside him; black velvet as a barrier towards the deeper side of the shop. “You'd have to be careful, though, because it goes through another alley, but there's a chance the dog would see you too once you're out of it. Try sneaking past it if you can.”

Shiro shot Keith a look, silently questioning him the implications of what would happen behind that curtain if they weren't careful.

An eyebrow climbed on his forehead, an answer of its own that made Shiro gave him a thoughtful look.

If they were going to beat up some creep, then so be it.

“Okay,” he answered with a nod. “We'll use the back door.”

“Alrighty,” Kyle stood up while pushing the curtain aside, beckoning them both in. “Come on.”

They shared another look, before both of them followed where Kyle had disappeared, pushing the soft curtain aside.

Shiro didn't know what to expect once he stepped foot deeper into the depths of a porn shop; maybe some more posters with peculiar kinks in them? Maybe a video of some famous porn star running at the end of the room while music played in the background? He didn't know, but he was particularly relieved when they walked down the empty hallway, passing by closed doors as the cream walls and spotlights made the place look like a small studio.

There were numerous types of key chains hanging on the doorknob, and Keith was staring at one that had a bell on it. “What are those for?”

Kyle glanced back. “Oh, special services. We have that too.”

“Do each of them represent something?”

The suspicious look Kyle shot them as he took out a ring of keys made Shiro shrugged feebly, knowing that Keith asked because he was curious, and said boy only stared back in response. “Yes,” Kyle responded shortly, shoving the key into its lock. “I'm not gonna tell you what they're for because I like to pay my bills on time by not shutting this place down and letting a couple of kids wandering inside.”

The door swung open to reveal the back alley, and Kyle gestured towards the damp place with a flick of his hand. “There you go, you're free. Try finding another hiding place if you're chased by huge scary dogs, will you? Or visit again when you're older so that I can make business.”

Clearing his throat, Shiro wrapped an arm around Keith's shoulders and began walking away. “Sure thing,” he replied with a tight smile over his shoulder. “And thanks.”

Kyle waved them off, and got inside to slam the door shut.

“Well, at least he's not molesting us or anything,” Keith commented, hooking his hand onto Shiro's wrist as they began their walk out.“Or this would be the worse day we've ever had.”

“True,” Shiro agreed, trying not to stare at the homeless man leaning against the wall with a beat up book in hand. Then, he watched his friend at the corner of his eye. “Did you pull us in there on purpose?”

“ _No,_ ” Keith frowned at him, squeezing his wrist once. “How was I supposed to know that was a porn shop? That door was the nearest and we were desperate, we didn't have any time to check if the shops we were about to go in were all PG-rated.”

“Okay, okay,” Shiro relented with a laugh, tightening his grip on Keith before giving his hair a hard ruffle that caused him to protest, pulling onto Shiro's arm to make an attempt of letting himself free. “I'm sorry I doubted you in the first place and I'm eternally grateful you saved our lives with your quick thinking.”

Keith ducked from his grip and patted down his hair, which didn't stop the chuckles bursting out when Shiro saw how his wavy hair was sticking all over the place before it was fixed by Keith's adamant grooming. “Yeah, sure.” He rolled his eyes, but the smile was there as he readjusted his backpack. “But, I'll try to make sure I'll check the shops first before barging in.”

“Right.”

Once they were at the end of the alley, Shiro peeked over the side to search for the dog while Keith was already bracing himself for a sprint. “Do you think we'll go back in there?”

Keith blinked at him in surprise. “What, that porn shop? Are you seriously considering the dude's words about making his business a success?”

“I mean,” Shiro shrugged before he surveyed the roads again, one hand on the bricked wall as he took a cautious step forward. “What if we suddenly found ourselves in there again?”

He felt Keith planting a palm on the middle of his back and gave him a light push, and Shiro was already walking down the street again with Keith beside him. Even if the dog was nowhere to be seen, he still let his eyes wander for any signs of the beast. “Then, we just found out what we like during sex,” Keith replied simply, shoving his hands into his pants pockets as he gave a shrug of his own. “Dunno about you, but I'm not into any of that stuff right now. Maybe I'll change my mind later, who knows?”

Shiro hummed thoughtfully, knowing Keith was right and they would just have to see in the future if they were into that kind of roleplay.

 

* * *

 

“Are you sure you haven't seen him?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Not even once this whole day?”

“No, sir.”

There was a grunt. “Strange. I was hoping he'd be with you, since he used to tell me that he'd have a session with you at this time of the day.”

“Usually, sir. But I guess he's busy, with TA work and everything else.”

“True. Well, if you see him, tell him he's needed in my office. I'd like to meet him to discuss some matters.”

“Yes, sir.”

There was a swish of a door being closed. “He's gone.”

Letting out a relieved sigh, Shiro pushed the cupboard door to the side, where he was able to see Keith manoeuvring around the spread papers and books to get to his former empty space by the corner of his bed. Picking up a pen, he gave Shiro a bored look. “Can you at least tell me now why you're avoiding Iverson?”

“Extra shift,” Shiro explained briefly, and he began lowering himself on the edge of the bed while Keith let out a knowing _ah._ He began reaching for his tablet. “He wanted me to cover for Douglas’ classes next week, since he's in a family emergency and no one else is free.”

Keith eyed the way he continued on typing out an email with one hand while the other was holding onto a stack of papers. “What made he think that you're free now?”

“Probably had to do with the fact that he kept bumping into me when I'm planning to not do anything work related,” Shiro said wryly, making a grab for a pen before he scratched across a point. And then, he began retyping again. “It's karma or something, because it's always when I was about to catch my breath, and I couldn't say no to him the moment he asked.”

“You could _try_ to say no.” Keith told him in amusement.

“Not qualified.” Shiro pointed towards himself using the pen, cocking an eyebrow. “I'm still a newbie in being an Officer, so the entitlement isn't quite _there_ yet.”

“That's bullshit,” Keith scoffed, slumping against the wall. “They're using you. Pull out and demand equal rights.”

“Do you expect me to drop to my knees and beg for him to treat me as his partner in crime?”

“I said equal rights, Takashi, not being pathetic.”

Shiro let out a crooked smile as he glanced at the younger man, who had already focused on the book in front of him with a furrow of his brows, his own pen moving rapidly against the paper as he began calculating the equation given to him. “I'll keep that in mind. And, hey,” Shiro poked Keith's foot with a toe. “After your heroic act, treating you seemed like the best thing I could offer.”

There was a twist of his lips before Keith looked up to meet his look, dark eyes alight. “Heroic?”

“Sure.” Shiro grinned. “You try watching other cadets lie to Iverson's face without stuttering while meeting his eye at the same time.

“He's just another person.” Keith pointed out with a small chuckle of disbelief.

“Another person who couldn't even tell you were sprouting horse shit.” Shiro added lightly.

Keith threw a balled up tissue at his way, and Shiro managed to avoid it. “Pizza, and anytime you're free.”

“Right.” Then, Shiro smirked. “With pineapples, right?”

Keith wrinkled his nose. “You're a disgrace.”

“Everyone has their own opinion on pizza.”

“Yeah, but your taste in food had always been questionable.”

Shiro laughed, flicking the tissue back at him. “Shut up.”

 

* * *

 

It didn't stop after that.

 _Keith_ didn't stop.

No matter how many times Shiro found himself at the end of the line, struggling and trying to find a way that would pull himself out of the hardships that had dragged him down, Keith would always be there for him.

Shiro couldn't bring himself to feel ashamed at this, not when he felt the heavy relief blooming inside him when he heard Keith saying his name in a shocked whisper after a year of isolation in a cell. Shiro relished on the dull grip of his fingers around his jaw when the turn of his head could still be felt through his half conscious state.

It was Keith knowing when to save Shiro again and again from his own ability to fall into trouble.

And now, the bond of the same lion brought them together again, where the astral plane was keeping Shiro in there for the time being until he figured a way to get back to his team.

To Keith.

But, of course, Shiro should have known better that Keith would find him first.

Time moved differently in the astral plane, wordlessly and seemingly like lava crawling down from the peak of its mountain, and it made Shiro wander through the billion amounts of stars with a feeling of restlessness embedded in his skin, of wanting to go back to the physical world where he would be able save the universe with his friends. Because the battle with Zarkon was still fresh inside him, twisting and whining in irritation.

It was to pick up what he had abruptly left behind, to see what more could be achieved.

And when Keith stumbled into this curious space with a sharp gasp and wide eyes, falling to his knees and hands as he swallowed in deep breaths, Shiro had never thought he'd feel this thankful to have someone with him again.

It was easy to drop to his knees and touch his shoulder, it was easy to murmur assurance when Keith lifted his trembling hands to cup his face, full of utter disbelief as he looked at him with desperation gleaming in his eyes.

“You're here,” he reveled quietly, looking him over as he ran his hands down the armour on his chest; sliding his palms over the large V and across his shoulders, wanting to feel the reality of it as Shiro did when he slid his fingers through the nape of Keith's hair. “All this time you're here.”

Guilt was a thin knife twisted in his chest at just how grateful Keith sounded, and Shiro let him pulled the helmet off to inspect his face, to really see him _alive_ and not combusted into nothingness. “How long?” Shiro asked in the same tone. “How long was I gone?”

“Months,” Keith whispered, letting his hands run down his arms before holding onto his elbows. “Months without you, Shiro.” Then, he let out a breath of derisive laughter, shoulders sagging with defeat. “You need to stop doing this to me.”

Shiro felt his heart drop at the notion at just how much time had passed when it felt as if it had only been a day.

But, Keith was right of course, Shiro couldn't depend on him like this by being a burden, he couldn't simply expect Keith to save him from anything whenever he found himself in a tight place. He needed to be more careful, he needed to make sure he wasn't dragging anyone else down with him-

“ _Don't,_ ” Keith began sharply, startling him out of his own thoughts that Shiro blinked at the way Keith was now clutching onto his arms, his jaw clenched while he stared at Shiro painfully. “Don't think like that, that wasn't what I meant when I said it and you damn well know it.”

Shiro forgot that their minds were connected now, where both of them were able to see what the other felt under the foundation of being the black lion's paladin, and for Keith to have a glimpse of what he thought almost made Shiro shrink back out of impulse.

But the warmth Keith emitted was a light in Shiro's shadowed mind, and he let the other man reach towards him with a brush of a touch, an open palm offered towards his way without anything to prevent Shiro’s own flicker of conscience intermingling with his.

“You have better things to do than to keep an eye on me all the time, Keith.” Shiro didn't need to finish his sentence when Keith let out a short exhale of exasperation, and the warmth burned a little hotter than before. “And I can't keep asking that of you.”

“Don't twist what I want to do into something that your brain think isn't worthwhile,” Keith warned, and Shiro was forced to meet the glare of his insistence. “You're not a burden to me and you never will be, Takashi. Get that planted inside your head for as long as we both live.”

The touch was almost scorching now as Shiro raised his hand to touch Keith's cheek. But, he hesitated for a while, letting it hover over his face that Keith only let him do what he wanted. And then, out of resignation if anything else, Shiro brushed a gloved thumb against the swell of his cheek. “I'm sorry.”

“Not your fault,” Keith muttered as he put a hand over his. “Stop blaming yourself.”

It was hard not to, but he could try again.

One corner of Shiro's lips twitched up into a small smile. “Maybe I was right back then.”

Keith frowned. “About what?”

“About you being a cool knight,” Shiro said, leaning forward to rest their foreheads together. “or a cool paladin in this case.”

“You still remember that?” Keith asked in surprise, turning his head to speak near his jaw. “We were kids then.”

“My knight with a flowery cape,” Shiro hummed, letting his fingers flit down his spine. “Coming to save me from the death of chairs after defeating the mighty Ryou-zilla, the ugly lizard we were going to take Halloween candy from.”

He felt the way Keith sucked in a breath as leaned back to inspect him, and Shiro only met his peculiar look. “Ryou-zilla.”

Shiro shrugged lightly. “He still had the mask before I left for Garrison.”

Shaking his head slightly, Keith couldn't stop the smile growing on his face. “Those chairs were a hazard and we were nuts.”

“More like we had an overflowing urge to be creative using the wrong things.” Shiro corrected, and Keith let out a small huff of breathless laughter.

This was familiar, this was them talking with each other again without the barrier blocking their bond, without the fear of doubt and questioning that stretched the distance between them before Keith did those trials at the base.

With a surge of affection, Shiro wrapped his arms around him that Keith answered just as kind, where both of them held onto each other tightly as Shiro took a shuddering breath against his shoulder.

“Thank you,” he said quietly, and Keith squeezed a little tighter than before. “I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you.”

Keith let out a small noise, pressing his lips against the side of his head. “I'd do anything for you,” he croaked back, words muffled by their approximation.

“You have to know this.”


End file.
